The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-20
Northern Men in Southern Pulpits.

independent presbyterian cnuICh Vi Iui7
city refused to extend to Dr. Leonard w.
Bacon a permanent call because he is a
Northern man. The Chicago Tribune, which
| is one of the most influential papers in the
West, in an editorial article said:
The sectional feeling in the South is not
confined to social or political circles. II
seems TO permeate the whole body polite
and to manifest itself with the most vlrt'
lence in directions where the most charity
would be expected. The recent experiences
/ of the Rev. DR. Leonard w. Bacon are III
( point and freshly demonstrate the fact that
( the church South has lost none of its sec
/ tional bitterness and intolerance since
slavery was abolished and the war closed.
= i \ r y * y
| DR.. Bacon adds one more 10 the list of
! Northern preachers whose pulpits have been
made too uncomfortable for any manly
| Union man to occupy except at the loss OF
self-respect and the sacrifice Of his honest
convictions.
The dismissal of Dr. Bacon is tantamount
to an announcement from the Southern
pulpit that no minister who is O friend Of
the negro, an admirer of Abraham Lincoln
or an advocate of Union principles need
! apply.
1t is a notification to Northern people
who are loyal to the government, who be
lieve that the negro should have his civil
rights, who cherish the memory of Abraham
Lincoln, and who are prepared TO maintain
the national principle as against the dogma
of State sovereignty, that they are not
wanted i'll the South unless they will con-
sent to suppress their sentiments, even If
they do not subscribe to the Southern sec
tional idea The South has drawn the line
in the most unmistakable manner.
These extracts are only samples of the
kind of comments which the differences be-
tween Dr. Bacon and a majority of his con-
gregation have called out. That they are
intended either to create false impressions
or are the result of incorrect information,
there is no doubt. They are certainly not
justified by anything which has occurred
in the Independent Presbyterian church.
1t is mistake to suppose that Northern
man cannot occupy Southern pulpit &C
ceptably. 1t would not be difficult 10 find
in any Southern State Northern clergyrnen
who are not only giving great satisfaction,
but who are very popular. When DR.. Ba-
con was called it was very well understood
that he entertained extreme Northern
views. The committee which repre-
sented the church, and which
invited him to this city, had
a very frank conversation with him relative
to his political opinions. He was expected
to preach the gospel and not make political
speeches, and, therefore, the church did not
bother itself about his politics. If there had
been any hostility to Northern men in the
church, Dr. Bacon would not have been in
vited to occupy its pulpit
1t is also a mistake to suppose that there
is any feeling of disrespect for the memory
of Abraham Lincoln among the members
of the Independent Presbyterian church, or
among the people of this city; or that there
is any desire to deprive the colored people
of their civil rights Abraham Lincoln is
always spoken of with respect, and it would
he difficult to find prominent Southern
man who has not great admiration for his
character As for the colored people, what
civil right is there to which they are en-
titled that they do not enjoys
The opposition to DR.. Bacon which de-
veloped in his church, and which was ex-
prsSsed when the question of extending to
him a permanent call came up for settle
ment, was not based upon his political
views, nor upon the fact that he is a North
ern man. Had it been he would not have
had such strong following-a following
composed of those who are second to none
in their love of the South, whether the old
or the new, and of everything which the
Southern people hold dear. DR.. Bacon has
no stronger friends anywhere than he has
in this city, outside of his church as well as
in it, He is the kind of man who makes
friends and enemies. He doesn't mean to
make enemies but he can't help it. What
has happened to him here, if we do not
Judge him wrongly, is likely to happen to
him in any Northern city.
1t is true that much feeling against him
was expressed Immediately after he preached
what has been called Fourth of July ser.
mon, but when the sermon came to be un-
derstood the feeling subsidized, and many OF
those who criticised him the most harshly are
now his warmest friends. Tho:e who still
refer to that sermon as an objection to him
do so not because of the matter in it, but
because they question the advisability OF
bringing the subjects with which it dealt
into the pulpit. 1t is doubtful if there is q
congregation at the the North which
would quietly submit to the utterance
from the pulpit of political sentiments that
might disturb its harmony.
What then were the grounds of oppo.
sition to DR.. Bacon! If we are not mis-
informed they were his alleged lack of tact
and judgment, lis aggressiveness in matters
pertaining to the church, his Interpretation
of the Scriptures, his failure TO make him
self acquainted with members of his
church in their homes and the conviction
that though he might make warm friends
he would be certain to make enemies &c
such an extent as to keep the church in a
continual state of unrest.
The gossip about DR.. Bacon'S political
opinions was an outgrowth Of the opposition
to him and not the cause OF it. The oppo-
sition existed before he preached his Fourth
of July sermon, and before opinions res
specting colored people were attributed to
him
Dr. Bacon is a man of splendid ability and
sterling integrity. Those who are hostile
to him will concede that If he lacks the
faculty of harmonizing people it is his mis-
fortune rather than his fault.
The bogus bomb which a Washington
news fakir sent to the house OF Chief Justice
Waite, OF the Supreme Court, at Washing
ton Immediately after the decision of that